Life Of Rolling Bearings Research Articles

A deep transfer network based on dual-task learning for predicting the remaining useful life of rolling bearings

Abstract Rolling bearings are essential in rotating machinery, and accurate remaining useful life (RUL) predictions are necessary for effective maintenance and optimal performance. Poor trend of health indicators (HI) and operating condition variations can reduce the reliability and accuracy of RUL predictions.To address these challenges, we propose a deep transfer network based on dual-task learning for predicting the remaining life of rolling bearings (DTLDL-RUL). This framework integrates health status assessment and RUL prediction, leveraging task commonalities and differences to create a robust model, then transfers it to improve generalization in the target domain. Specifically, we first mine spatiotemporal features from vibration signals to generate and classify HI, labeling them for subsequent tasks. Next, we use the shared feature extractors and private residual networks to capture common and specific features of each task, merge them with the multi-gate control networks, and adaptively adjust task weights in the loss function to enhance model adaptability. Finally, the trained model is transferred to the target domain using domain adaptation to extract domain invariant features and consider target-specific features, enhancing generalization. Experiments conducted on the 2012 PHM and XJTU-SY datasets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves high accuracy and generalization in RUL predictions.

Remaining useful life prediction of rolling bearings using a residual attention network with multi-scale feature extraction and temporal dependency enhancement

ABSTRACT Predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings is crucial for industrial machinery maintenance, non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT). To address the challenges posed by noise interference and redundant information, this paper proposes a novel approach utilising residual attention networks and multi-scale feature extraction. The method enhances feature extraction by combining shallow and deep convolutional layers while employing bidirectional LSTM to capture both short-term and long-term dependencies in time series data. The incorporation of a residual attention fusion module further enhances the model’s ability to focus on important features, ensuring more stable training and better prediction performance. After validation on PHM2012, IMS, and laboratory self-constructed datasets, the proposed model demonstrates superior performance compared to existing methods, significantly reducing prediction errors. The practical application of this work lies in its potential integration into industrial predictive maintenance systems, providing a solid foundation for expanding predictive maintenance strategies in complex real-world industrial environments.

Remaining useful life prediction method of bearings based on the interactive learning strategy

To address the issues of low accuracy, high time cost, and different failure modes in predicting the remaining useful life of rolling bearings, a remaining useful life prediction model based on an interactive learning convolution network with a feature attention mechanism (ILCANet) was proposed in this paper. The model divided time series data into an odd part and an even part, and the interactive learning strategy improved the ability of the model to extract features from long series. The binary tree structure was used to increase the number of network layers and to subdivide sequence features. In the model, residual connection was introduced to prevent the gradient from disappearing. In addition, in order to determine the degree of contribution of different features, a feature attention mechanism was embedded to assign weights to features. Experiments were conducted with PHM2012 and XJTU-SY datasets, and the results showed that the proposed method had better prediction accuracy in RUL prediction than other prediction methods.

Method for predicting remaining useful life of rolling bearings based on dynamic complexity characteristic entropy and quantum neural networks

Method for predicting remaining useful life of rolling bearings based on dynamic complexity characteristic entropy and quantum neural networks

Enhanced RUL predictions of rolling bearings using a nonlinear Wiener model with an extended incremental Kalman filter

Abstract To predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings, a novel two-stage degradation model is constructed, taking into account the two-phase characteristics of bearing performance degradation, which includes stable (Stage 1) and degrading (Stage 2) phases. The model employs an autoregressive model and a nonlinear Wiener process to describe the performance degradation in each stage. Subsequently, a residual cumulative sum control chart (RCUSUM) is proposed to identify the first change -point from Stage 1 to Stage 2. In response to the limitations of existing extended Kalman filter (EKF) methods that overlook the dynamic characteristics of state increments for state updates, an adaptive extended increment Kalman filter (EIKF) is introduced to update the degradation state and achieve accurate RUL predictions of rolling bearings. Finally, the effectiveness and applicability of this method are validated using a self -constructed dataset from 16004 bearing test data and XJTU-SY bearing data. The results demonstrate that this approach can accurately identify first change -point and enhance the accuracy of RUL predictions.

An End-to-End Adaptive Method for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Rolling Bearings Using Time–Frequency Image Features

The deep learning model has attracted widespread attention in the field of rolling bearing remaining useful life (RUL) prediction due to its advantages of less reliance on prior knowledge, high accuracy, and strong generalization. However, a large number of prediction models use very complicated artificial feature extraction and selection methods to build the original input features of the deep learning model and health indicator. These approaches do not fully exploit the capabilities of deep learning models as they continue to heavily rely on prior knowledge, The accuracy of their predictions largely hinges on the quality of the input features, and the generalization of manually crafted features remains uncertain. To address these challenges, in this paper, an end-to-end prediction model for the remaining useful life of rolling bearings is proposed, which is divided into three modules. First, a short-term Fourier transform module is incorporated into the model to automatically obtain the time–frequency information of the signal. Then, the convolutional next (ConvNext) module, which is a simple and efficient pure convolutional neural network, is utilized to extract features from the spectrogram. Finally, we capture the short-term dependence and long-term dependence by two parallel channels Transformer and self-attention convolutional long short-term memory (SA-ConvLSTM), and the self-attention mechanism is employed for the adaptive prediction of the bearing’s remaining useful life. Through integration with artificial intelligence, this method proposes a high-performance solution for predicting the remaining useful life of bearings. It has minimal reliance on manual labor, stronger fitting capabilities, and can be widely used for predicting the remaining useful life of bearings.

A Critical and Comparative Study of Layered Cylindrical Hollow Roller Bearing Using Numerical and Experimental Analyses for the Assessment of Static Load Carrying Capacity

Abstract The fatigue life of rolling bearings is a critical factor in their selection and application, driving ongoing research aimed at enhancing their performance. Among the solutions explored, the introduction of hollow rollers has been noted for their lighter weight and reduced stress. However, experimental results have shown that hollow rollers can suffer catastrophic failures under low static loading conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated that layered cylindrical hollow rollers (LCHRs) outperform both conventional solid and hollow cylindrical rollers under similar loading conditions. This warrants further investigation into the potential benefits of LCHR. This study aims to estimate the static load carrying capacity of LCHR bearing in comparison to hollow cylindrical roller bearings having different hollowness percentage. Corrected experimental results from individual roller-on-plate tests showed excellent agreement (within 5%) with numerical analyses, validating the numerical approach. Key parameters such as von Mises stress, contact pressure, bending stress, and contact width were obtained through numerical analysis. Additionally, a static load test rig was designed and developed to estimate the static load carrying capacity of the bearings under examination. The results of full bearing sample tests for various roller types corroborated the individual roller-on-plate test findings. The observed superior static load carrying capacity and promising semi-contact width of LCHR indicate their potential for extended fatigue life compared to solid and hollow rollers.

Bearing life prediction method based on novel health indicators and improved similarity curve matching

Abstract To tackle the issues of low accuracy in similarity curve matching and the challenges in measuring the similarity of degraded curve segments in rolling bearing life prediction methods, we propose a novel bearing remaining useful life (RUL) prediction method utilizing new health indicators and improved similarity curve matching techniques. Initially, time and frequency domain features are extracted from the bearing vibration signals. Subsequently, the multi-dimensional features are meticulously screened using monotonicity, Spearman's correlation, and uncertainty metrics to construct the health indicator (HI) and the health indicator library for the bearing. Subsequently, the support vector data description (SVDD) combined with the PID search algorithm is employed to ascertain the initial prediction time of the bearing and to construct the corresponding health indicator library. Following this, both global and local feature capture are conducted using dual dynamic time warping (DDTW) in conjunction with a sliding window to predict the remaining service life of rolling bearings.
The proposed method is validated on the PHM2012 and XJTU-SY datasets and benchmarked against the latest research. The results demonstrate that our method significantly enhances the prediction accuracy of the remaining useful life of bearings, underscoring the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.and superiority of the proposed approach.

Vibration characteristics of rolling bearing cage under speed variation conditions

Speed variation conditions will deteriorate the stress state of the rolling bearing internal components and aggravate the vibration of the cage, thereby affecting the service life and reliability of rolling bearings. In this paper, a nonlinear dynamic analysis model of the cylindrical roller bearing is established considering the rubbing effect and hydrodynamic contact between the cage and the guiding ring, as well as the sliding between the cage and other rolling elements. The vibration characteristics of the cage is discussed under the start-stop conditions and different fluctuations of rotation rate. The results show that the vibration of the cage mainly occurs at the middle and late stages of the acceleration process, and the impact mainly occurs at the middle stage of the deceleration process under the start-stop conditions. Moreover, the fluctuation of inner ring speed will enhance the unstable motion of the cage, among which the vibration and impact of the cage are most severe under the rectangular fluctuation of speed, followed by simple harmonic and triangular fluctuations. The findings can provide a theoretical guidance for improving the performance of rolling bearings and ensuring their safe and reliable operation.

Dynamic graph spatial-temporal dependence information extraction for remaining useful life prediction of rolling bearings

As a powerful tool for learning high-dimensional data representation, graph neural networks (GNN) have been applied to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings. Existing GNN-based RUL prediction methods predominantly rely on constant pre-constructed graphs. However, the degradation of bearings is a dynamic process, and the dependence information between features may change at different moments of degradation. This article introduces a method for RUL prediction based on dynamic graph spatial-temporal dependence information extraction. The raw signal is segmented into multiple periods, and multiple features of each period data are extracted. Then, the correlation coefficient analysis is conducted, and the feature connection graph of each period is constructed based on different analytical results, thereby dynamically mapping the degradation process. The graph data is fed into graph convolutional networks (GCN) to extract spatial dependence between the graph node features in different periods. To make up for the shortcomings of GCN in temporal dependence extraction, the TimesNet module is introduced. TimesNet considers the two-dimensional changes of time series data and can extract the temporal dependence of graph data within and between different time cycles. Experimental results based on the PHM2012 dataset show that the average RUL prediction error of the proposed method is 17.4%, outperforming other comparative methods.

A novel two-stage method via adversarial strategy for remaining useful life prediction of bearings under variable conditions

It is critical to accurately predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings to avoid severe accidents and financial losses in the industry. Nevertheless, accurately determining the initial prediction time (IPT) continues to pose a challenge, and significant differences in the data distribution of bearings under different operating conditions are frequently overlooked. To deal with these problems, we propose a novel two-stage method based on the adversarial strategy for RUL prediction of bearings under variable conditions. Firstly, we create reliable health indicators in an unsupervised manner by recording the coded characteristics of the bearing’s state of health. Secondly, an adaptive threshold method based on rate-of-change (ATMROC) is developed to perform accurate health state classification. Finally, we propose a RUL prediction network based on the attention depth-gated recurrent unit with domain invariance (DIADGRU) to handle the inconsistent distribution of degradation features under different operating conditions. Experiments of RUL prediction on PHM2012 and XITU-SY datasets are implemented, and the promising results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Remaining Useful Life of the Rolling Bearings Prediction Method Based on Transfer Learning Integrated with CNN-GRU-MHA

To accurately predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings under limited data and fluctuating load conditions, we propose a new method for constructing health indicators (HI) and a transfer learning prediction framework, which integrates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), and Multi-head attention (MHA). Firstly, we combined Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) to fully extract temporal and spatial features from vibration signals. Then, the Multi-head attention mechanism (MHA) was added for weighted processing to improve the expression ability of the model. Finally, a new method for constructing Health indicators (HIs) was proposed in which the noise reduction and normalized vibration signals were taken as a HI, the L1 regularization method was added to avoid overfitting, and the model-based transfer learning method was used to realize the RUL prediction of bearings under small samples and variable load conditions. Experiments were conducted using the PHM2012 dataset from the FEMTO-ST research institute and XJTU-SY dataset. Three sets of 12 migration experiments were conducted under three different operating conditions on the PHM2012 dataset. The results show that the average RMSE of the proposed method was 0.0443, indicating high prediction accuracy under variable loads and small sample conditions. Three different operating conditions and two sets of four migration experiments were conducted on the XJTU-SY dataset, and the results show that the average RMSE of the proposed method was 0.0693, verifying the good generalization of the model under variable load conditions. In summary, the proposed HI construction method and prediction framework can effectively reduce the differences between features, with high stability and good generalizability.

A fractional-derivative kernel learning strategy for predicting residual life of rolling bearings

In the field of mechanical equipment maintenance, accurately estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings is crucial for ensuring reliable equipment operation. However, prevalent deep learning methods face challenges such as limited sample sizes, and “black-box” mechanisms. To enhance the accuracy and interpretability of rolling bearing RUL prediction, a novel fractional-derivative kernel mean p-power error filtering algorithm (FrKMPE) is introduced. A comprehensive analysis of convergence for this method in terms of both mean error and mean square error criteria is provided. By combining the memory properties of fractional-derivative with the adaptability of kernel method, it can effectively capture features of non-stationary signals and sensitively monitor changes of rolling bearing health states (HSs). The effectiveness of the FrKMPE is validated through its application to the prediction of RUL using the IEEE PHM 2012 challenge dataset and the XJTU-SY dataset. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed FrKMPE outperforms existing kernel adaptive filtering and deep learning methods in rolling bearing RUL prediction. The proposed method has advantages in dealing with complex nonlinear data and improving prediction accuracy, and provides a new perspective and solution for rolling bearing RUL prediction.

Air turbine starter remaining useful life prediction for bearing based on an improved temporal convolutional network

The air turbine starter (ATS) is an equipment employed for initiating aircraft engines, in which rolling bearings play a central role. Predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings constitutes a challenging task within the domain of prognostics and health management (PHM). Improving computational efficiency to predict the RUL of bearings is a core problem addressed in this paper, and thus, this paper introduces the parallel causal convolutional hierarchical dilated temporal convolutional network (HD-TCN). HD-TCN effectively captures long-term temporal dependencies and significantly enhances computational efficiency compared to serial convolutional recurrent neural networks (RNNs). In addition, the introduction of the feature data stacking (FDS) module allows features from different hierarchical levels and dimensions to participate in the prediction task, ensuring both computational efficiency and prediction accuracy. To consolidate the extracted multidimensional features, the network incorporates the matrix multiplication dimensionality reduction transformation (MMDRT) module, which reduces the dimensionality of the data and further improves the computational efficiency as well. The introduction of the MMDRT module resulted in reductions of 43.4% in root mean square error (RMSE). The proposed method achieved reductions in RMSE by 38.3% and 46.4% compared to the transformer and long short-term memory (LSTM) models, respectively. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated using the XJTU-SY data set and civil aircraft bearing components RUL prediction test bench bearing data. The results show that the proposed approach can predict the RUL of bearings with high accuracy.

Utilizing multiple inputs autoregressive models for bearing remaining useful life prediction

Accurate prediction of the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings is crucial in industrial production, yet existing models often struggle with limited generalization capabilities due to their inability to fully process all vibration signal patterns. We introduce a novel multi-input autoregressive model to address this challenge in RUL prediction for bearings. Our approach uniquely integrates vibration signals with previously predicted RUL values, employing feature fusion to output current window RUL values. Through autoregressive iterations, the model attains a global receptive field, effectively overcoming the limitations in generalization. Furthermore, we innovatively incorporate a segmentation method and multiple training iterations to mitigate error accumulation in autoregressive models. Empirical evaluation on the PMH2012 dataset demonstrates that our model, compared to other backbone networks using similar autoregressive approaches, achieves significantly lower root mean square error (RMSE) and Score. Notably, it outperforms traditional autoregressive models that use label values as inputs and non-autoregressive networks, showing superior generalization abilities with a marked lead in RMSE and Score metrics.

Black Box Adversarial Reprogramming for Time Series Feature Classification in Ball Bearings’ Remaining Useful Life Classification

Standard ML relies on ample data, but limited availability poses challenges. Transfer learning offers a solution by leveraging pre-existing knowledge. Yet many methods require access to the model’s internal aspects, limiting applicability to white box models. To address this, Tsai, Chen and Ho introduced Black Box Adversarial Reprogramming for transfer learning with black box models. While tested primarily in image classification, this paper explores its potential in time series classification, particularly predictive maintenance. We develop an adversarial reprogramming concept tailored to black box time series classifiers. Our study focuses on predicting the Remaining Useful Life of rolling bearings. We construct a comprehensive ML pipeline, encompassing feature engineering and model fine-tuning, and compare results with traditional transfer learning. We investigate the impact of hyperparameters and training parameters on model performance, demonstrating the successful application of Black Box Adversarial Reprogramming to time series data. The method achieved a weighted F1-score of 0.77, although it exhibited significant stochastic fluctuations, with scores ranging from 0.3 to 0.77 due to randomness in gradient estimation.

Remaining useful life prediction across operating conditions based on deep subdomain adaptation network considering the weighted multi-source domain

As one of the core contents of transfer learning, domain adaptation (DA) has been widely used to predict of the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings across operating conditions. However, existing RUL prediction methods often adopt single-source DA and do not consider the sample's drift phenomenon and migration degree in the source domain. At the same time, the distribution of bearing samples in different subdomains (degradation stages) differs, forcing global adaptation to inevitably lead to negative migration. Therefore, a deep subdomain adaptation network considering weighted multi-source domain (DSAN-WM) is proposed to improve the prediction accuracy of RUL across operating conditions. Firstly, a migration metric is developed to measure the migration degree of samples in the source domain, and a high-quality multi-source domain sample set is constructed. Secondly, a fine-grained feature distribution alignment strategy for subdomains based on adaptive degradation stage identification is proposed to reduce the difference in sample distribution in the same subdomain. Thirdly, for each decision boundary obtained by the multi-source domain model, consistent alignment and degradation constraints based on physical knowledge are established to improve the consistency and prediction accuracy of each regressor output. Lastly, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified using eight migration scenarios of two bearing data sets, and the superiority of the method is proven through a comparison with advanced deep learning and transfer learning approaches.

Remaining useful life prediction method of rolling bearings based on improved 3σ and DBO-HKELM

Abstract An improved 3σ method and dung beetle algorithm optimization hybrid kernel extreme learning machine-based (DBO-HKELM) approach for predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings was suggested in order to increase prediction accuracy. Firstly, multi-dimensional degradation feature data is extracted from bearing vibration data. Considering the influence of noise signal on the prediction accuracy, an improved kernel principal component analysis method is proposed to reduce the noise of degraded features. Then, an improved 3σ method is proposed to determine the starting point of bearing degradation by combining bearing vibration signal data. Lastly, a DBO-HKELM life prediction model was put forth. The parameters of hybrid kernel extreme learning machine were optimized by dung beetle algorithm, and appropriate kernel parameters and regularization coefficient were selected. The feature set of degradation indicators is input into the trained model to output the bearing RUL prediction results starting from the determined degradation starting point. Multiple data sets were used to verify that the new RUL prediction method significantly improves the prediction accuracy.

From Innovation to Standardization—A Century of Rolling Bearing Life Formula

From Innovation to Standardization—A Century of Rolling Bearing Life Formula

Remaining Useful Life Prediction Method Enhanced by Data Augmentation and Similarity Fusion

Precise prediction of the remaining useful life (RUL) of rolling bearings is crucial for ensuring the smooth functioning of machinery and minimizing maintenance costs. The time-domain features can reflect the degenerative state of the bearings and reduce the impact of random noise present in the original signal, which is often used for life prediction. However, obtaining ideal training data for RUL prediction is challenging. Thus, this paper presents a bearing RUL prediction method based on unsupervised learning sample augmentation, establishes a VAE-GAN model, and expands the time-domain features that are calculated based on the original vibration signals. By combining the advantages of VAE and GAN in data generation, the generated data can better represent the degradation state of the bearings. The original data and generated data are mixed to realize data augmentation. At the same time, the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm is introduced to measure the similarity of the dataset, establishing the mapping relationship between the training set and target sequence, thereby enhancing the prediction accuracy of supervised learning. Experiments employing the XJTU-SY rolling element bearing accelerated life test dataset, IMS dataset, and pantograph data indicate that the proposed method yields high accuracy in bearing RUL prediction.